"In the past decade, a new breed of chef has turned cooking into a kind of game of avant-garde one-upmanship, introducing oddball preparations and techniques — a little liquid nitrogen, anyone? — to create dishes that are as much science experiments or artistic statements as they are plates of food. At the same time, there's been a growing emphasis on rustic, earthy flavors."

— Charles Passy, of The Wall Street Journal, in a story explaining a new trend that sees some fine-dining chefs incorporating ash in their dishes.